Sports Illustrated Having a Devil of a Time

Phoenix, Ariz.–The state of Arizona has witnessed the power of ‘change’ first hand in November, and that ‘change’ has transferred from the political arena to the basketball arena as the Arizona State Sun Devils have earned the ultimate preseason spotlight with star guard James Harden gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated’s west region college basketball preview issue.

Harden is looking to follow a fabulous freshman season that saw him average 18 points per game and earn first-team all-conference honors in the talent-laden Pac-10. Fans will have an opportunity to witness Harden at the inaugural Stadium Shootout on Dec. 20 against the Brigham Young University Cougars at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale.

After a season sweep of the rival University of Arizona Wildcats in the 2007-2008 season and an impressive run in the NIT, the Sun Devils find themselves with a preseason ranking of number 16 by Sports Illustrated. With the departure of several Pac-10 superstars to the NBA, Harden is looking to become the signature player of the conference this season. ESPN college basketball analyst, Jay Bilas, has also included Hardin to his pre-season top five players in the nation.

The Sun Devils’ anticipation of their most successful season in recent memory only adds to the build-up of their matchup with Brigham Young University, a natural geographic rival that always puts a strong team on the court, advancing to the NCAA tournament last season. Their holiday matchup is sure to be an early gift to basketball fans in the crowd and to the audience watching on television across the country.

For updated information and additional details of this new event, visit the official website: www.stadiumshootout.com.